Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-10-06
THE G. A. R. BUSINESS MEETING.
Reports Of Committees Heard and Acted
Upon.

Reports Of Committees Heard and Acted
| Upon.
ST.. Louis, Sept. 29.-The national en-.
campm ent of the G. A.R. met this morn
ing at9 o'clock. The reports of commit
tees was resumed, the first in order being
the committee on pensions. They relate
their efforts to procure liberal legislation
| from congress and the fate of the depen-
dent pension bill. They call attention to
the Mexican pension bill, as far more
| liberal than the one for pensioning sol
| diers against the rebellion. This bill met
| the approval of the president, and they
were fairly stunned when from the same
| hand came the veto of measure OF q
like principle, but infinitesmai in a de-
gree for the veterans of the war against
| treason. They appealed to the Grand
Army Of the Republic, and response
| came from 100000 members in no uncer-
| tain tones. The committee therefore
PREPARED NEW PENSION RILL.
This bill makes provision for pensions
to all veterans who now are or may here
after become unable to earn their own
livelihood; for the direct continuance of
pensions for widows in their own right;
for an increase of the present pittance
| to minor children, and for fathers or
| mothers from any date of dependence.
Such law would at once remove fully
| $4,000 veterans from public aims houses,
| where they now rest, making them
pensioners instead of paupers, and
provide pensions for fully as many
more now dependent upon private char
ity and put into the general pension laws,
for the first time, recognition of prin
ciple, that pensions may be granted to
survivors of the late war without abso-
lutte proof of disability arising from
service, proof almost impossible to pro-
| cure after lapse of more than twenty
years. The bill is similar in general
principles to that vetoed. but the OBJ
jectionable pauper clause is omitted.
making this disability and not a de
pendent bill. The result of submitting
this bill to comrades of the Grand Army
SHOWS that whatever legislation some OF
the comrades desire, Trey are practically
unanimous for
EVERYTHING CONTAINED IN THE BILL.
| Whatever else may be desirable the com
mittee knows from an experience of five
years taht any additional legislation is
only secured inch by inch after the most
| persistent effort. The committee there
fore recommend the continuance of an
1
The bill prepared by this committee,
granting pensions to all veterans now
disabled or in need, to mothers and faith
ers from the date Of dependence; contin-
uance of pensions to widows in their
own right, and an increase from minor
children. All of Ethe recommendations
for the increase and equalization of pen
sions for special disabilities made in the
recent report by Pension Commissioner
Black.
A pension OF $12 per month to all wild
ows of honorably discharged soldiers and
sailors of the late war.
| Increased pensions for severer disabili-
ties, substantially as presented in the bill
prepared by the United States manned
vaterans' league.
| Pensions for the survivors of rebel
prisons, substantially as presented in the
bill of the national association of pris-
oners of war.
| Increased pensions for loss of hearing
or eyesight.
| Re- enactment of the arrears law.
| An equitable equalization of boun
| ties.
The same pension for the widow of the
representative volunteer soldier of the
union army-John a. Logan-as is paid
to the widows of those typical regulars,
Thomes, the "rock of Chicamauga," and
Hancock, always "the superb"
The report was adopted without debate.
District Attorney Grinnell says the
anarchists case cannot be carried into
the supreme court on any pretext what
ever. Gen. Pryor is Convinced that an
application for a writ of error will be
granted" Lawyers will differ. 1t is ne
cessary in their business. The peonle
are unanimous, and will see that the
bomb-throwers hang. It is necessary
for their safety.
Appearances indicate mighty little,
anyhow. Once we met a typical literary
man, so far as looks went. He had the
pale cast of thought, dreamy eyes, and
all the other baggage of culture but when
we engaged him in conversation he stated
that he wa, barber, and that he had
never read book through in his life,
and did not believe that anybody else had
ever accomplished 80 difficult feat!